Not that bad after all
by Sashahp
Summary: Great. Just great. Now he had to live like a caveman for an entire year. In a place he most certainly wouldn't be welcomed into with flowers. The dolts at the Ministry couldn't come up with anything worse.
1. 1) After the War

**Hello you guys, I'm back! Well, I'm hoping I haven't been forgotten, which I probably have. I've been awfully busy for the past year and I still am, but I** _ **really**_ **wanted to write something, so here we are!**

 **And to the new readers I'm hoping are reading this story, :P, also feel free to check out my two other stories you can find on my profile page :D**

 **And anyone who reads this fic, please please please leave a review! Your reviews are the only source of encouragement for me as a writer! Just tell me what you think about the story, anything I could do to make it better, just whatever!**

 **This is a Dramione(Draco and Hermione) story, and in this story, Ron and Hermione were never together, never had feelings for each other. They're just the best of friends.**

 **Disclaimer: I have only thought of this little plot here. Not an amazing entire magical universe, no. Cause that was done by JKR!**

 **RER(Read, Enjoy and Review)!**

* * *

 _ **After The War**_

* * *

"Today, we raise our wands to all those souls who sacrificed themselves for the future of this world. A very bright future. And on this day, we shall promise to them, wherever they may be, that we shall work hard to the best of our abilities to build that future."

As Kingsley stopped speaking, Hermione bit down hard on her bottom lip trying her best to keep from making a noise. Unable to keep it in, she let a strangled sob escape her throat. Harry put his hand on her shoulder, wordlessly comforting her. Hermione gave him a slight nod telling him she would be okay. She then turned to face Ron on her other side.

His once sparkling blue eyes had lost their liveliness. Now all you could see were two empty wells that conveyed the extreme sorrow they held deep within them. She could clearly see the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.

It wasn't fair, Hermione thought as she was reminded of Fred yet again. It just wasn't fair! What had Fred done to die at the hands of a _Death Eater_?! The rules of life were just not fair. She never really understood them. Why should the Weasleys who had done nothing but good, suffer? Oh and the Malfoys! Despite everything they had done, all three of them were well and alive! Well, Malfoy Sr was now in Azkaban but why shouldn't _he_ have died? What had _he_ done to deserve life? But being locked in Azkaban for life was probably worse. Then again, it probably didn't go that way for Lucius Malfoy. She supposed he was used to living the dark, gloomy life; it wouldn't make much of a difference to him. Shaking her head, she brought herself back to the gathering at the Ministry of Magic. Her eyes immediately flew to the Malfoys.

Draco Malfoy stood straight and tall, but his head was no longer held high. His face was mostly emotionless and blank, yet Hermione could see a flicker of something else in his eyes that she couldn't quite comprehend. What had happened to all that 'I'm a Pureblood and that makes me superior' mania? He had only gotten off from going to Azkaban because of his mother's plea to the Wizengamot that although he was officially a Death Eater with the fancy skull and serpent tattoo, he had never wanted to become one. He had to do it because their lives were in the hands of the Dark Lord. And her plea was accepted only because she had saved Harry Potter. And for that, Hermione was thankful to her. Looking at Narcissa Malfoy, she almost felt sorry for her.

Gone was the regal Lady Malfoy whose pictures she had seen years ago in the Prophet. Now, all that remained was a shadow. A shadow of a former life she once led. The Lady Malfoy looked run down. Not how a 'Malfoy' should look at all.

"Thank you."

Kingsley's deep voice caused Hermione to shake her head yet again and come out of her musings. She couldn't feel sorry for this woman. She just couldn't. This was the wife of a notorious Death Eater. Turning away, Hermione focused her attention on the Minister for Magic.

"I would like to thank each and every one of you for your contribution in rebuilding our establishments that were destroyed by Lord Voldemort." Kingsley said, putting extra emphasis on the word 'Lord' and moving his fingers in a quotation mark motion. "This has been an extremely hard time for all of us. But that chapter is over now. This moment onwards, we begin anew. Afresh." He smiled broadly at the crowd.

"Starting tomorrow, the Ministry of Magic will begin to function properly as it should have ages ago. Good luck to you all." With that, Kingsley left the stage and everyone began to disperse.

Hermione turned to Harry only to see that was lightly patting Ron's back, who had silent tears streaming down his face. Hermione's heart broke. No one deserved this. No one at all. Well, maybe some people, but she wasn't going to let herself think about that again. She blinked to hold in her own tears, then took Ron's hand and began to lead him away to one of the fireplaces with Harry behind them. They got to the nearest fireplace and one by one flooed away calling, "Granger residence!", unaware of the pair of eyes observing them.

* * *

Hermione stumbled a little as she stepped out of the fireplace into her childhood home. As always, she was once again filled with memories of her past at the sight of her home. Having a small dinner with her parents, cuddling with her parents as they watched her favourite movie, coming into the house with her parents after playing to her heart's content in the snow outside _. Her parents_. Her parents, who were now in Australia thinking that they were Wendell and Monica Wilkins. Believing that there was nobody in this world for them except each other. All because she had modified their memories. The emotional part of her hated herself for what she did that day. But another part, the logical part of her said that she did the right thing. It had been the best way to keep them safe from that insane psychopath.

Hermione had initially planned to get herself a house in a Muggle locality, somewhere away from the city and her old home. But having given it some thought, she had felt like she _wanted_ to come back. She had _wanted_ to come back to the place she could not face after it was devoid of her parents. She had _wanted_ to sit down on her bed and cry in her childhood room, she had _wanted_ to eat breakfast in the very same kitchen alone, for the first time in her life. She had _wanted_ to grieve. Everybody else probably didn't understand how she felt. But she had _wanted_ to stay at her home and relieve all those happy moments she had once shared with her family and cry to her heart's content. She had _needed_ that.

And Ron, well, he just wasn't himself since Fred's death. In fact the entire Burrow had lost its cheery atmosphere. Molly had lost her beautiful, welcoming smile that usually lit up her face. She mostly never talked now, and never left the house. She, along with George went up to the twins' room and stayed there the whole day just going through Fred's things, remembering. Arthur simply went out of the house in the morning and came back late in the evening. No one knew where he went, and no one ever asked. Although Ron wanted to be with his mother, he just couldn't. It broke him to see her the way he had never seen her before. Blank and emotionless. None of the other Weasleys had attended the gathering that day.

As for Harry, he now had Grimmauld Place, but it just felt too big and too lonely for him. And the fact that he continued to blame himself for everything that had transpired during the War didn't help either.

So Harry, Ron and Hermione hung out at her place all day, then Ron would return to the Burrow for the night. Harry would either go with him or stay back with Hermione.

"I would just _love_ to get my hands on _Augustus Rookwood_." Ron's voice brought her back to the present. He spat the name as if it was the dirtiest thing he had ever come across.

"Ron, we've talked about this." Harry said, sitting down on the couch beside his friend. "I do share your stance on this, but that filth is in Azkaban awaiting the Dementor's kiss. That's pretty bad enough."

Ron sighed. "I know mate. But I'd still like to give him a piece of my mind." He placed his hand over his eyes, trying to stop his tears from breaking out again. He then shook his head and turned to Hermione, whose eyes were slightly moist as she stared around the living room. "So Mione, what's happening with restoring your parents' memories? What did the people at the Ministry say?"

"Yeah, I spoke with the Obliviators, and they –" her voice broke and she sunk down to the floor, her tears making a reappearance.

Harry and Ron rushed over to her. "What is it? What did they say Mione?" Harry asked.

She sobbed louder. After a minute or two, she brought up her hands to rub at her eyes. "It's difficult. Very difficult. It would have been a lot easier if it were just a small omission. But I- I removed everything. I took out a huge part of their lives, made them forget they had a child and changed everything about who they were!" She hit the floor with her fist. "And if we try to restore their memories the usual way, they might just lose their minds and go insane." She started to sob uncontrollably now, holding her head in her hands.

"Mione wait, what do you mean, 'the usual way'?" Ron asked, trying to get her to lift her head.

"They said there are other ways we could try." Her voice came out small and muffled. "But they're very complicated and risky, and it's highly improbable that they will work."

"Don't you speak that way Hermione." Harry said, his voice comforting but taking on a stern tone at the same time. "You are the brightest witch of our age. If you can't figure something out, then nobody can. So stop crying and use that brain of yours to get them back here." He finished with his hands folded against his chest.

"And don't give us that 'it's complicated' crap." Ron's statement made Hermione smile wanly. "I don't know what I would do without you idiots." She said.

Ron smiled and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Now go and wash that ugly face of yours." He said playfully. "Harry and I will try to whip us up some food."

She smiled once more and stood up, her smile growing wider as she grinned and punched Ron in the arm. "Ow!" he exclaimed as he laughed and followed Harry into the kitchen.

* * *

She shut the bathroom door behind her and turned around, catching sight of her reflection in the mirror. Dear god, she was a mess. Suddenly, on impulse, she slapped herself hard on both cheeks.

"I'll do it." She said, her words laced with a never before seen determination. "I'll get you back, Mum and Dad. No matter what it takes."

* * *

 **Okay, that's the first chapter, this one was all about Hermione and her life after the War. I really hope you liked it!**

 **And I'm going to try really hard to update weekly, I promise :D**

 **And the part about Hermione** _ **wanting**_ **to come back to her old home; I don't know how many of you have felt that way, but after I lost my Grandfather, which was three years ago, I used to pick up items that belonged to him; his sweater, his pictures and just sit down and cry. I still feel that way sometimes, like I** _ **want**_ **to cry and remember every moment I've shared with him. So that's why I put that part in there. Please do share your experience if you've ever felt this way too, cause sharing stuff really helps and you feel light headed after, which is how I feel right now :D**

 **Thank you guys for reading my story, and please do leave me a review!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sasha.**


	2. 2) Life after the war

**I am so so so so sorry, I know this story feels discontinuous to you guys, but this Muggle world just won't let me update! I haven't even edited this chappie properly, so you guys gotta forgive if there's anything wrong with it! (I love you!)**

 **A HUGE HUGE THANK YOU, to all of you lovely readers, who read and follow this story. Thank you so much.**

 **And here is chapter 2!**

 **Please do RE &R!**

 **Oh and also, Disc:: I am not JKR, and I never will be. So in short, I have nothing to do with this amazingly awesome universe of Harry Potter, except for the fact that I keep re-re-re-re-reading it.**

 **And this Disclaimer shall stand for all the chapter of this story, because I seem to be running out of creative ways to say I do not own Harry Potter.**

 **Let's go!**

* * *

 _ **Life After the War**_

* * *

"Today, we raise our wands to all those souls who sacrificed themselves for the future of this world. A very bright future. And on this day, we shall promise to them, wherever they may be, that we shall work hard to the best of our abilities to build that future."

Draco Malfoy slowly raised his wand along with everyone else at the gathering. He exhaled deeply, trying to relieve the tension inside of him. To an outsider, he'd look perfectly normal. But only a person who knew him in and out would be able to make out the turmoil of emotions inside of him right now. There was grief. Guilt. Shame. Disgust and hatred towards a certain now-dead dark wizard. That deranged... _thing_ had caused heartbreak to so many people. The one thing Draco had always considered important and close to his heart was his family. His father and mother. He vaguely heard Kingsley starting to speak again, but his mind was now elsewhere.

His parents may have been rich and prejudiced pureblood snobs to the society, but to him, they had been wonderful parents. The Dark _Lord_ had taken all that away from him. And worse, he had made Draco a Death Eater. The idiot had a logo that he tattooed onto all of his crazy followers. And Draco knew that taking that mark was most probably the biggest mistake of his life, but given the circumstances at the time, there was no other alternative.

Voldemort had set Draco up because he was mad at Lucius for his failure at the Ministry of Magic. _Lucius. His father_ who was now half deranged and in Azkaban. But Lucius' predicament would have been worse than it was today, if Snape hadn't stepped in that night, at the Astronomy Tower.

Because of Draco's failure to kill Dumbledore, Voldemort would have tortured him along with his father until they were both completely deranged and insane, or dead.

His eyes now moved to his mother who was standing beside him.

She was the only thing he had left. The only thing he now held close to his heart.

He was brought back into the present when he suddenly felt the crowd moving around him. He shrugged mentally. The speech must have ended. Draco looked to the fireplaces waiting for everyone else to leave. Pushing through the crowd now to get to the fireplace would attract attention, and _that_ wasn't something Draco really looked forward to. And then, he saw them. The ones that had ended it all. Actually, he was quite grateful to the three of them, but he would never admit it out loud. There they were, _The Golden Trio_ , making their way to one of the fireplaces. They looked grim, and Weasley's eyes were shining with unshed tears.

Draco felt a sudden shiver of guilt run through him.

 _Fred Weasley._

Oh, the Death Eaters had taken so many innocent lives.

He shook his head as if to shake off his thoughts. This was not the time _or_ place to mull over those things. Seeing that the crowd had dwindled a bit, Draco grasped his mother's hand and led her towards one of the many fireplaces.

* * *

Draco and Narcissa tumbled out of the fireplace into the former headquarters of You-know- _what._

Narcissa looked around the huge Manor. It had lost its beauty, its charm, everything. Just like her family. All the Manor held now was the ugly stench of grief from all the people who had... who had been murdered and tortured to insanity in there. Tears formed in her eyes, threatening to fall out, but she stopped them, just as she had always done. She would never cry in front of her son.

People may think of him to be a cold and despicable person, but only the ones he cared for knew the real him. Just like his father. _Lucius._

The Malfoys were known to be highly cruel and rude. But one thing Narcissa had learnt after marrying Lucius was that Malfoys always looked out for their family. _Always._ They had two roles to play. One for the outside world and one for their own world.

Narcissa felt a slight smile make it way onto her face at that thought. Right then, she made up her mind. Her most important aim right now would be to get Draco on track. Bring back the reputation the Malfoys once held, but completely turn the game around this time. Destroy the image of them that the world had built.

She replaced her little smile with a wide one and turned to face Draco, who was dully examining an empty portrait.

"Draco!"

Draco jumped at the sound of his mother's voice. It had been a long, long time since he had heard his mother's 'happy voice'.

"What is it mother?"

"We will now redecorate the Manor." Her voice was now commanding.

"Get rid of all these gloomy decorations. And that huge dining table? We don't need that thing for just the two of us. And it has been... _tainted_ , anyway. Get rid of that as well. And by get rid, I mean burn it, or if you have anything worse, that would do just as well. We will transform the Dining room into a Music room."

Draco had always been very good at playing the piano. But once Draco got to his fifth year, it had been taken away for good. Lucius had insisted that Draco needed to spend more time in his preparation for his O. to get ahead of that 'Mudblood Girl'. It wouldn't do well for him if the Dark Lord found out that Lucius' son stood second in class, defeated by a 'Mudblood'.

Thinking of Miss Hermione Granger, Narcissa remembered Draco once ranting about her organisation for the welfare of house elves. Her mind also brought up the one memory that she would never be able to forget. _Something_ that had happened in their own home, in front of their own eyes. She continued to speak again, trying to banish that image from her head.

"Oh, and yes! Our house elves will now be paid regularly for their services, and, they get to wear clothes!" she finished.

Draco just stared at his mother blankly. How could she just turn away from everything like that? But, on the other hand, she was probably right. It was all over. They shouldn't be dwelling on the past right now, they should be moving on. He would try hard, but only for her. He nodded and attempted to give his mother a slight smile.

"Whatever you say, mother."

Narcissa grinned, then called out, "Minnie!"

The tiny house-elf appeared in from of them in a curtsy.

"Ah! Mistress and the Young Master is back! Is the Mistress and the Young Master wanting anything to eat? And Master's potion is almost ready, Master must check!"

Draco swore and started running towards his potions laboratory. Narcissa gave a slight giggle at her son's antics.

"Draco, son, you do know that you could simply apparate, don't you?"

Draco came to an abrupt halt as he reached the foot of the stairs. He quickly turned and gave his mother a sheepish smile as he vanished with a crack.

Narcissa felt as if her mouth muscles couldn't stretch anymore. This was the first time in ages that she had seen her son smile.

"Is Mistress wanting anything to eat?" Minnie asked.

"No, not right now Minnie." Narcissa said. "Let us wait for Draco to come back. In the meantime, I would like you to start preparing a wonderful lunch for the both of us."

Minnie curtsied again. "As Mistress says."

Just as the house-elf was about to apparate away, Narcissa remembered something.

"Oh wait! Minnie!"

"Yes, Mistress?"

"Henceforth, we will not be eating in the Dining Room. Set up the table in the kitchen."

"Minnie will do that, Mistress." As she spoke, Narcissa could see that Minnie's eyes had clouded a little. Minnie remembered everything just as well, it appeared. Narcissa kneeled down to face Minnie.

"We will transform this Manor into a glorious place, Minnie. And also, I have a surprise for you and the other elves. We will discuss that after lunch."

Minnie nodded excitedly. "Yes, Mistress! Minnie is doing her best!" With that, she disapparated.

Narcissa kept smiling, determined never to cry again. No more living in the past for them!

* * *

 _Lunchtime,_

* * *

Narcissa sat waiting at the table as her son walked into the room.

"What happened to your potion Draco?"

"Just saved it in the nick of time, all thanks to Minnie."

After the war, The Minister for Magic; Kingsley, had asked Draco to manufacture potions for various potion stores in England. But none of the shop-owners knew where their stock came from. It would cause a riot if they did. All they knew was that the Ministry was taking care of everything. Knowing full well that Draco couldn't be given a job at the Ministry, at least not just yet, Kingsley had come up with this.

As of now, he was the only person alive who understood Draco and his mother.

Oh heck, Draco owed him big time. Someday, he would pay Kingsley back for everything he had done for him.

"Come on, Draco! What are you thinking about? Eat up, now!"

His mother's voice broke his train of thought.

Draco gave Narcissa his second smile that day as he picked up his fork.

Laughing and talking every now and then, the mother and son duo finished their lunch.

"I think it is high time that we inform all of our elves about the changes they will be experiencing, don't you think Draco?" Narcissa asked as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"I suppose you're right, mother." Draco answered as he mimicked her actions. "The problem here is getting them to agree. Dear Merlin, this feels like the thing Granger started back then!" he exclaimed.

Narcissa smiled yet again, still surprised at how many times she had been smiling that day.

"Alright, then." Narcissa gracefully set down her napkin, calling out for Minnie as she did so.

Just as she was about to speak, there was a thud at the locked kitchen window. Waiting outside, was a lightly brown coloured owl. It looked a lot like the ones Hogwarts and the Ministry used.

Minnie ran up to the window to let the owl in. It fluttered up to Draco and landed quite clumsily, knocking over his goblet. Draco slowly untied the attached letter on which the Ministry seal was quite easily visible.

"What do you think it is, Draco?" Narcissa asked, a little nervous. They had made a wonderful start, she didn't want anything to mess that up for them.

"I... don't know." Draco replied as he unrolled the letter and started to read.

Narcissa and Minnie watched carefully as Draco's eyes followed the script, and his expression slowly began to change.

"WHAT THE HELL DO THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING?!" Draco finally exploded. He stood up and hurled the letter to the ground. Then he started pacing furiously around the room.

"Draco, calm down, please!" Narcissa tried. "Minnie, hand me that letter, will you?"

As Narcissa read, Draco finally sat down, exasperated.

Great. Just great. Now he had to live like a caveman for an entire year. In a place he most certainly wouldn't be welcomed into with flowers. The dolts at the Ministry couldn't come up with anything worse.

* * *

 **What do you guys think was in the Ministry letter? Tell me what you think was in there!**

 **And with same promise of updating within the week, which I don't know if I will be able to keep, I would like to sign off for now. :-(**

 **So long!**

 **Sasha.**


	3. 3) The godforsaken Letter

***cowers* Umm, hello!**

 **A thousand apologies later,**

 **Here you go, folks! Chapter three is out!**

 **Thanks a million to every one of you for reading and following this story. I could never write without you guys** **:-)**

 **Go on y'all, talk to you at the end!**

 **RER!**

* * *

 _ **The godforsaken letter**_

* * *

Narcissa sighed.

What exactly were the people at the Ministry thinking? She heaved another huge sigh as she picked up the letter yet again to desperately try and find some sort of loophole.

 _To,_

 _Mr. Draco Malfoy_

 _After the hearing conducted this morning with regard to the activities of your family during the Wizarding War, the Wizengamot has come to a firm decision. The Wizengamot understands that you and your family, excluding Mr. Lucius Malfoy of course, were forced to act the way you did because of your then prevailing circumstances during the Wizarding War as you yourself told the Wizengamot under the influence of the strongest dose of Veritaserum known to Merlin himself. Even though your activities were forced, we of course, cannot let them go unpunished. So that you may understand Muggles, Muggleborns, their way of life and learn to accept it, the Wizengamot has decided that you shall stay at the residence of a Muggleborn for a period of_ _ **one year**_ _ **without your wand**_ _, that is, without the usage of magic. As to who this Muggleborn is, after a lot of discussion, it has been decided that it would be best if you complete your punishment at the residence of the very Muggleborn Witch who has played a hugely significant role in the Wizarding War, Miss Hermione Granger._

 _You are expected to report to the office of the Minister for Magic within the next five days._

 _The Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

No, there was nothing to be found. Narcissa didn't know what to do. Draco living in Miss Granger's home was one of her smaller concerns. The biggest concern of hers was the loss of Draco's magic. For a whole year. Stripping a wizard of his magic was just... and especially Draco, who had never even considered a life without magic.

And not to mention her separation from Draco. Of course, Narcissa had received her own letter from the Ministry a few minutes after the arrival of Draco's letter stating that as her punishment, she would have to be under house arrest for one year, but she was allowed her wand.

Narcissa shifted her eyes to focus on her son. Most of his initial anger had dissipated and now it appeared to have been replaced by a sadness of sorts.

But this could be an eye opener of sorts, Narcissa thought. Setting aside the loss of magic, Draco could really grow into a better person. Being raised by the richest and oldest Pureblooded family, the 'Purebloods greater than Mudbloods' motto had been ingrained into him ever since he was a toddler. It was also the same for her in the Black household as well. But since the Voldemort returned, and the War started, Narcissa started to feel her ideals change. She felt her views change. The things happening around her, everything she saw created a small change in her. Even now, after everything was over, she did have a hard time accepting Muggleborns as an integral part of the Wizarding society and this initial feeling was unavoidable considering the way she was raised. She had decided to try her best to let go of every last thread of prejudice remaining in her. But Draco... she wasn't so sure about how his views had changed over the duration of the War. Of course, she knew that his barriers of prejudice had been battered, just like her. But to what extent, was now the question. This _could_ be a good opportunity for her son.

"Draco?" she called out tentatively. "Are you alright, son?"

She heard him sigh softly, his gaze never leaving the polished floor that he had so been focused on. "Isn't there anything we can do, Mother?" he asked softly.

Narcissa could hear and feel the defeat in his voice. They both knew there was no way out of this. "Do you think maybe, we could meet with Kingsley and perhaps –"

"No." Draco lifted his head to look at her. "We could never do that. He has already done more than he probably should have for me."

This time, it was Narcissa who sighed. She knew Draco was right. And anyways, this could actually change Draco's life for the better.

"Then we must go to the Ministry as soon as possible." She said, her voice breaking.

She could see the wetness forming in her son's eyes. They had just finished off the War. They were just getting started on building a new life for themselves. And now, this.

"Tomorrow." He said quietly.

Narcissa did her best to keep her tears from overflowing. "So soon?" she asked.

"Yes, mother. Better get it over with as soon as possible. Delaying the inevitable can only worsen things."

Walking over to her son, she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Draco," she said to him in a quiet whisper. "This is going to be extremely hard for the both of us, but please trust me, son. It can't be that bad. Something good _has_ to come out of this. And it will." With that, she released him.

She saw him nod ever so slightly.

"I don't think anything good could ever come out of me converting to a Muggle and staying at Granger's for an entire year, but…. But I trust _you_ , Mother." He gave her a small, teary smile. "I guess I'll take your word for it."

"Thank you." She replied, slowly ruffling his hair. "And don't you worry about me. I shall find everything I might need at the Manor. Except you, of course."

With that, they hugged again, only this time, tears flowing unfalteringly.

* * *

For the first time that night, Draco did something he probably hadn't done since he was a baby. He fell asleep with his head in his mother's lap, relishing in the soothing feeling of warmth and content only she could provide him with.

The next morning wouldn't be the best one for the both of them, but they were determined to make it work.

* * *

 **I** _ **really, really,**_ **hope you liked this one! And I'm sorry, this was a very short chappie!**

 **I have been** _ **very very very**_ **busy, and I just wrote this now cause I found a bit of time. I haven't been able to write and edit this as properly as I would have wanted to, so please do forgive any mistakes that might be hanging in there!**

 **I love you guys, thank you so much to all you readers and reviewers, please do keep following this!**

 **Gotta run, people, so I will be signing off now!**

 **Eagerly waiting for your reviews,**

 **Sasha.**


	4. 4) The moment of first contact

_**4) The moment of first contact**_

 **Hello! I just finished my exams and I finally got the time and peace to sit down and write this. To all of you who have read, reviewed this story thus far, thank you sooo very much! I really hope you haven't given up on me, please do read on and keep giving me your valuable reviews! Those reviews are what keep me going! I'm terribly sorry for this extreme delay, but please do read on and tell me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer : This little plot is all I own! I absolutely cannot handle an entire Wizarding universe, oh no!**

* * *

The slight to and fro rocking of her chair was definitely not helping Hermione get through her book. That periodic movement, combined with the cool breeze swarming around her took her back in time. The way her father always used to occupy the chair, never letting her get on alone because it could be dangerous. The way she always used to sit there in his lap as he rocked them in rhythm to whatever song she desired.

She shook her head violently, trying to get herself out of those memories for what could probably be the thousandth time that day. She shut her book with a snap. This wasn't going to work. It was her fault, anyway. She could have found a million other places to sit down and read as much as she could about memory charms, but no. She _had_ to sit in that particular chair. And now, all she was left with was some vague knowledge about the topic, and a lingering feeling of sadness. She decided to go find either Harry or Ron for a little diversion. She really needed a break right now. Just as she stood up, she heard the telltale tap-tap of an owl at the window. She turned around, wondering who was writing to her. Waiting for her was a typical Ministry owl. This did strike a pang of fear in Hermione's heart for a moment. Even after all these years, a Ministry owl was never a good sign.

She slowly walked over to the window and opened it. The owl flew in with the regal air of a Ministry official. Her movements showed slight hesitation as she untied the letter. She then opened one of the boxes on her table and fished out a few treats for the owl, she could almost hear him demanding some reward for his effort. The owl flew off immedietely after devouring his snack, which meant that this was some sort of intimation and did not require her to reply. All the more weird.

She unfurled the letter, her eyes scanning the standard Ministry lettering.

* * *

"Harry! Ron!" she shouted as she walked down the stairs.

"Garden, Mione!" she heard Harry's voice floating to her.

She doesn't look too well, was Harry's first thought as she stood at the entrance with some sort of parchment.

"What's up Hermione?" Ron asked as he ran over from his position at the other end of the garden. They had been practising spells for their auror training.

Hermione held out the letter for them to read. Harry took it from her.

"What is thi- looks like a letter from the Ministry, Hermione, what..."

Harry trailed off as he read it out loud for Ron to hear -

 _To,_

 _Miss Hermione Granger_

 _After the hearing conducted this morning_ _with regard to the activities of the Malfoy family during the War, the Wizengamot has come to a firm decision. The Wizengamot understands that the Malfoy family, excluding Mr. Lucius Malfoy of course, were forced to act the way they did because of the then prevailing circumstances as Mr. Draco Malfoy told the Wizengamot under the strongest dose of Veritaserum known to Merlin himself. His misdeeds, forced as they were, cannot be let off unpunished. So that he may understand Muggles, Muggleborns, their way of life and learn to accept it, the Wizengamot has decided that Mr. Draco Malfoy shall stay at the residence of a Muggleborn for a period of_ _ **one year without his wand,**_ _that is, without the usage of agic. After a prolonged disccusion, the Wizengamot has come to the decision that Mr. Draco Malfoy shall undergo his punishment at your residence._

 _Mr. Draco Malfoy is expected to report to the Minsiter for Magic within the next five days. You will be notified of the date of the commencement of his punishment as soon as he reports._

 _It is requested that you abide by the decision of the Wizengamot and grant your full cooperation to the Minsitry._

 _The Department of Magical Law Enforcement,_

 _The Ministry of Magic_

"What the- " Ron managed to get out.

"Malfoy made mistakes, Malfoy takes his punishment, that should be it!" Harry exclaimed, his voice carrying a hint of anger. "Why are they dragging you into it?"

"I already need to focus on getting my parents back home, I honestly cannot deal with _this_ right now." Hermione said, one hand on her forehead.

"We should go talk to Kingsley." Ron said.

"This wouldn't have been carried out without his knowledge, Ron." Hermione sighed.

"True.. But still, Ron's right. We should try talking to him once. He knows your situation, he can't let this happen!"

Hermione considered this for a moment. Although she couldn't see Kingsley changing things, why should they just close a door by themselves? They should at least try opening it.

"Yeah, okay, you guys are right." she conceded.

"Okay, it's settled then." Ron said. "We'll all go to the Ministry tomorrow."

Hermione simply nodded, her head down.

"Aw, come on Mione!" Harry said draping his arm over her shoulder and steering her inside. "You're not going to let someone like _Malfoy_ ruin your mood are you?"

"Yeah!" Ron yelled. "You punched him in the face, for Merlin's sake!"

Hermione had to laugh at that. "I agree." she wound her arm around him.

"You wanna have ice-cream?" Harry questioned.

"I don't think we have any." Hermione stated, refreshing her memory of their refrigerator's limited contents.

"So? We'll go get some!" Ron yelled again, only this time, it sounded like a war cry.

"Why do you keep shouting like that?" Hermione asked, punching him as they walked out the front door.

Laughing and talking, they reached the store.

As their turn to pay came up, they realised something.

"Count out the money and keep it ready Ron, let's make it quick." Hermione nudged him.

"What money? I don't have any." Ron grumbled.

"What do you mean, you don't have the money?" Harry said, turning to them.

"I thought one of you had it!" Hermione said, beginning to laugh.

"Drat, come on, let's go back" Harry said, laughing and dragging them out of line.

Thanks to that they had to make the whole trip again. But it was fun.

* * *

 _Ministry of Magic -_

Hermione wrung her fingers as she waited along with Ron and Harry to be called into Kingsley's office.

His secretary walked out from the office and gestured for them to come in.

"Well, well, well! If it isn't The Golden Trio themselves!" Kingsley exclaimed, looking up as he arranged his documents. "What is it that brings you here?" he asked, gesturing for them to sit down.

Greetings were exchanged and there was a little bit of small talk. Then Harry decided to take up the actual reason of their visit.

"Kingsley, actually, we came to talk to you about something." Harry said.

Kingsley looked at them questioningly, although he did seem to know what they were here about.

"It's about Malfoy." Hermione said.

"Isn't there anything you can do, Kingsley?" Ron asked.

"Hermione, if there was anything I could do, you can be assured that I would have already gone through with it." Kingsley looked at her apologetically. "I know and understand your current situation, but the Wizengamot is an independent body that makes and regulates its own decisions. I have no influence over anything they say." Here, he lowered his voice a bit. "And to be honest, the Chief Warlock is a bit of a jerk. He isn't someone I can talk to."

Hermione sighed.

"It's alright, Hermione." Kingsley reassured. "I can guarantee that Draco is no longer the young, immature boy we once knew. He has grown, and even though he may still possess some of his bothersome attributes, I'm sure he isn't going to be as difficult as he previously was."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione asked, dejected.

"Trust me. I have seen that boy grow." Kingsley replied, looking her in the eyes.

"If you say so." she answered.

They talked some more over tea that the secretary brought in.

"I guess we'll get going then." Ron said, stretching his hand out for Kingsley to take.

"I expect to see you guys working here soon!" he said, shaking Ron's hand and then hers and Harry's as well.

"And Hermione," Kingsley turned to her. "Don't worry yourself over these measly unimportant things. Your only mission right now are your parents. I know that if anyone can do it, it's you." he smiled. "So just concentrate on that, and if there's anything I can do, you can call on me anytime. You know that right?" he said.

Hermione gave a slight smile and and nodded. "Thank you, Kingsley. This means a lot to me."

The three of them walked out of the office and slowly made their way towards one of the fireplaces.

"It's alright Mione!" Harry said. "If Malfoy acts up too much, Ron and I will help you put him in his place!"

"Yeah!" Ron said, raising his fist. "Or you can just punch him in the face again!"

"Yeah sure." Hermione laughed.

Just as they reached an empty fireplace it glowed bright green with flames, which was an indication that someone was entering the Ministry. As they stepped back to make way, she heard Harry and Ron begin to discuss about a quidditch broom that they had just spotted on someone's Daily Prophet. She smiled to herself.

The flames subsided and a tall figure emerged. They moved past him to get into the fireplace, and as fate would have it, Hermione chose to look up at this person.

Warm, amber brown eyes made contact with cold, stormy grey ones.

He could detect in those brown eyes, a hint of annoyance, some distress, a bit of thoughtfullness and perhaps a bit of surprise at the sight of him.

Within those grey eyes, she could clearly ascertain nothing but hopelessness and despair, and a tinge of guilt upon spotting them.

Despite having perceived each other, neither acknowledged the other's presence as they simply brushed past each other and headed to their respective destinations, knowing exactly why the other was there.

* * *

 **Soooo... what do you think? Whatever it is, do let me know in your reviews! And once again, thank you for staying with me up until this point and to any new readers, welcome and please do drop in a review!**

 **See ya!**

 **Sasha.**


	5. 5) Adieu

**Hello, you guys! This might be my fastest update so far, so that's a good sign... I was going to update yesterday, but something else got in the way of that.. But here we are! Thank you to all of you guys following this story and staying with me for so long, I honestly cannot tell you how much this means to me! Read on, and tell me what you think!**

 **Disclaimer : What's that? Harry Potter? Mine? You've got a fantastic sense of humour, haven't you!?**

* * *

 _ **Adieu!**_

* * *

"Draco Malfoy!" Kingsley's voice resonated through his office as he exclaimed in astonishment. He hadn't expected Draco to come in so soon. If he had come in even a few moments ago, Kingsley was positive there would have been quite a bit of tension in his office.

"Hello." was all Draco managed to get out, his voice monotonous and dull.

"Sit down." Kingsley said. "Isn't Narcissa with you?" he asked.

"No, she'll be here later on today. I wanted to do this on my own." Draco said, looking down at his feet. His mother's letter had also asked her to report to the Ministry.

"Oh, I see." Kingsley said.

There was awkward silence for a few seconds, then Draco spoke.

"Let's get this over with." he sighed.

Kingsley couldn't bear to hear his voice. It seemed to carry this note of melancholy that was just so unendurable.

"As you wish, Draco." He replied. "But let's just set aside all this official stuff for a moment. I understand all that you have been through." At this point, Kingsley glanced at the depressed, hunched figure sitting in front of him. He was staring off into space, Kingsley doubted he was listening to a word he was saying. "Look at me Draco." He said, his voice firm and a little loud. Draco almost seemed to jump, but it was clear that he was now focused on Kingsley. "I know and understand everything you've been through. Don't feel so bad about this."

Draco gave a slight snigger, but his expression showed a hint of regret before he abruptly masked it. "Please, Kingsley." He said. "Granger loathed me back in school and I'm sure she does now as well. I doubt very much that she would appreciate a former Death Eater's presence in her residence even for a minute, let alone an entire year."

"For Merlin's sake, you didn't expect her to welcome you in with open arms, now did you?" Kingsley replied. "It is very much expected of her to be reluctant in this matter. But let me tell you this, when she sees that you are no longer that jerk she knew back then, she _will_ give you another chance. She isn't the kind of person who will hate you just for the fun of it. She is one of the most reasonable and capable people I've known so far."

"But how do _you_ –"

"I have the known her for quite a few years, Draco." Kingsley cut him off, knowing what he was about to say. "And by 'known', I mean that I have seen her grow from a very young age into the woman she is today. I have seen her make decisions with a thoughtfullness far beyond her age. And a particular one, for which she still has my utmost respect and admiration." Draco saw him almost shudder and then shake his head. This intrigued him to no extent.

"What was that, Kingsley?" he asked.

The Minister of Magic shook his head as his face dropped. "That is not something for me to tell, Draco. This secret belongs to her. You shall know of it if she ever decides to share it with you. To do such a thing, at that age, requires a great deal of bravery. It is quite daunting at the same time."

Draco curiosity was insanely sparked. This would keep him occupied at Granger's.

"I understand, Kingsley." He said.

"Another thing, Draco." Kingsley said, beginning to arrange the papers Draco had to sign. "While you're there, try to keep any snarky comments to yourself and for Merlin's sake, be a little less straightforward and mean when you're trying to make a point."

Draco had to laugh. "I get that." He said. "But you don't need to worry. I'll stay quiet."

"Yeah, you do that." Kingsley laughed as well. "Now, go through and sign these papers, then we'll set a date for you."

As Draco read and initialled the many papers, he realised how grateful he should be to Kingsley. Ever since the culmination of the War he had helped Draco and his mother quite a bit and even now, spoke to him like a son.

He finished the last paper and handed the stack to Kingsley.

"Alright." Kingsley said. "You'll start this coming Tuesday, that is, the day after tomorrow. A Ministry official will arrive at your Residence at exactly 10 AM that day to take you."

Draco nodded. "Thank you, Kingsley." He said. "For everything, I mean." He smiled at him thankfully.

"Don't mention it." Kingsley waved him away.

"I'll see you later, then." Draco made his way out into the corridor. It'll be okay, he assured himself. It was just for a year, he would grit his teeth and stay silent throughout. Yeah, that was good plan.'

* * *

The Golden Trio sat around Hermione's living room, all silent. A piece of parchment sat on the coffee table, slightly fluttering in the wind. One could clearly discern the seal on top, that could belong only to the Ministry of Magic.

Ron was the first to break the silence. "Why in the world is Malfoy rushing this so much?!" he exclaimed.

Harry sighed. "Maybe he just wants to get this over with."

"I saw him." Hermione said quietly.

"What?"

"I saw him, today. At the Ministry."

"Really? Why didn't you say anything?"

"It was only for a second Ron!" she said, her voice rising a note. "I caught sight of him when we were waiting for the Floo at the Ministry. I've been in anticipation of this all day, actually." She laughed slightly as she said the last part.

Harry gave another sigh. "It's okay, Mione. We'll manage. I'm staying here with you anyway." He said.

"Yeah." Ron said. "I'm here all day as well. Harry's with you at night, so it's fine!"

"Guys!" Hermione threw her hands up in the air. "It's okay! Even without guys, I'm sure I can handle Malfoy!" she exclaimed.

"We're sure you can, Your Highness." Ron chuckled, getting up from his spot on a chair.

"But we just want to be there with you." Harry winked and threw a cushion at her.

Hermione smiled, thankful for these two loving brothers she had somehow come to acquire. "Thanks." Was all she said. Between the three of them, they didn't need a lot of words to be spoken, they just knew.

"So, how goes your research?" Ron came to sit beside her.

"As of now, all I know is that it is going to be quite a struggle to reverse their memories. It wasn't some small, trivial incident that I made them forget. I wiped out everything, life as they knew it changed." Here, her voice broke a little but she managed to maintain her professional, researching air. "According to one of these books, there's this book that has some information about this kind of intricate stuff. It's called ' _Flexi Cogitationes', by Madam Lissanda._ But it can be found in very few libraries across the world."

"Well, the biggest library that we know has to be that of Hogwarts." Ron quipped.

"Exactly." Hermione replied. "That's what I thought too. I need to make a trip to Hogwarts as soon a possible."

The War had caused significant damage to the library. But since every book in that library possessed its own form of magic, Madam Pince was able to restore almost everything.

"Alright, we'll plan for that." Harry gave a mock salute. "And very importantly guys, no word about this in front of Malfoy. Not even the tiniest slip of tongue. Got it?" he asked.

"Yes, Sir!" the other two saluted as well.

* * *

 _Tuesday, 9:45 A.M_

 _Malfoy Manor_

"It's okay, Draco." Narcissa comforted her son, watching as he levitated his trunk down the stairs.

Draco gave a sarcastic chuckle as he set the trunk down in the living room. "And that's probably the last time I use this!" he said, tossing up his wand and catching it.

"Shut up and stop moping around like that." Narcissa snapped at him. Looking at him, it scared her sometimes that he might go into some sort of depression. "It's just for one year, Draco! And, we get to see each once in every three months! Now that was an unexpected surprise, wasn't it?"

Draco sighed and nodded. He had no doubt in his mind that this was Kingsley's doing. He was so indebted to that man, he had no idea how he was going to pay him back.

All of a sudden, their was a signal as their Floo was activated. Draco turned towards his mother. "Take care, Mother. Just for a year, then we'll start rebuilding our lives, just as we wanted to." Narcissa could only nod at him. She was afraid that if she tried to say something, she might start crying.

A Ministry official stepped out of their fireplace. "Good Morning, I'm Auror Wilson."

"Good morning." Draco greeted solemnly.

"I will be escorting you to Miss Hermione Granger's residence, but first, I must take custody of your wand."

Draco twirled his wand around in his hand lovingly. To a wizard, his magic was almost akin to the air he breathed. To take that away from him, it was bound to hurt a lot. He gripped his wand firmly one last time, then abruptly handed it over.

Auror Wilson seemed to have carefully obsereved his actions. "I understand how you feel, Mr. Malfoy." He said. "The best way to feel better about it is to tell yourself over and over again that this isn't permanent. It's just for a year."

 _Just for a year._ The very words Draco had been repeating to himself ever since he got that fateful letter. This man was right. "You're right. Thank you so much, sir." He smiled sligthly at the Auror, who nodded back at him.

"We'll be apparating straight to Miss Granger's residence." The Auror said and held out his arm slightly.

Draco took one long look at his mother. They merely nodded at each other, then Draco turned and took hold of Auror Wilson. Narcissa could only watch, as in the blink of an eye, and the crack of apparition, her son was whisked away from her.

The next second, the Lady Malfoy broke down, sobbing right in the middle of the Manor's huge living room, as her trusted house-elves gathered around to comfort their mistress.

* * *

 **Sooo, what did you think? You must be getting tired of all these chapters involving Draco and Hermione seperately. Well guess what? Next chappie, they meet! Let's see how that goes!**

 **And this chapter is actually nearly 200 words longer than the previous ones, I hope that makes up for at least a little for my delay in updating!**

 **And now, for these lovely, lovely reviewers of mine! (Since I haven't mentioned any of you up until this point, I'll start right from the beginning! I'm sorry I'm doing it this late!)**

 **pgoodrichboggs - Thanks a lot! It is good to have a cry, isn't it?(C1)**

 **GlazedWater - You've been with me through all the stories I've written, thanks a ton! I love it that you took the time to drop me such a detailed review, I really really appreciate that! Love ya!(C1)**

 **afedrigo - Thank you! I am keeping this going, I just update awfully late :( Please don't give up on me!(C1)**

 **pgoodrichboggs - I'm sooo glad you reviewed a second time, thanks a million!(C2)**

 **afedrigo - Thanks so much for reviewing once more, I'm really grateful!(C2)**

 **Ditte3 - I'm glad you liked it, thank you so much!(C2)**

 **mm99mm - Aww, thanks so much!(C2)**

 **roguesc9 - Thank you! And as for the frequent updates, I keep trying my best to be as quick as possible, please stay with me!(C3)**

 **mm99mm - I really happy you find it captivating, thank you for coming back!(C3)**

 **mm99mm - Oh my god, thank you! You're a gem!(C4)**

 **DancingWithLetters - Thank you very much! Updating as fast as possible!(C4)**

 **Guest - Thank you! Do read the upcoming chapters as well!(C4)**

 **Guest - Thanl you shoo! Do continue reading! (C1)**

 **If you're curious,** _ **Flexi Cogitationes**_ **is Latin for 'Convoluted Thoughts'. I made that one up :P**

 **So long,**

 **Sasha!**


	6. 6) Home sweet Home!

**Hello, you guys! I'm back! To make up for another delay, here is an extra long chapter! Go through, and tell me in your reviews what you think of it!**

 **Thank you to everyone who is following, has favourited this story and has reviewed! Means a lot to me!**

 **Disclaimer : Harry Potter? Nah... not mine!**

* * *

 _ **6) Home sweet Home!**_

* * *

The classic crack of apparition could be heard in Hampstead Garden, London as two men appeared out of thin air in an empty alley.

"Where are we, Auror Wilson?" one of them asked the other, his blonde hair swaying with him as he looked around with slight apprehension.

"We've apparated into a small alley a little away from Miss. Granger's quarters. Should we have apparated elsewhere, any Muggle to come across us would probably have been startled to death, Mr. Malfoy." came the reply.

"Oh. Right." Draco almost slapped himself at his stupidity. It must be the foreboding sense of dread that supressed his usual level of intellect.

Auror Wilson stepped out onto the street and Draco followed, trying to keep up while lugging his trunk behind him. They brushed past a couple of Muggles who seemed to be in a hurry.

"Hurry up! We have only five minutes before we're supposed to be there!" one of them almost yelled at the other.

"For god's sake, I _am_ hurrying!" her companion bit out. "When they say 10 AM, no one shows up at 10 AM!"

Draco bit his lip in frustration. Excellent. Just peachy.

* * *

 _Hermione's kitchen_

"We have -" Ron broke off as he glanced up to check the clock. "- nearly five more minutes of peace." he stated.

Hermione sighed. "I guess we'll just have to make the best of the situation. I don't see any way out of this now."

"That's right." Harry agreed. "And remember, not one word about Hermione's parents in front of Malfoy. Any discussions regarding this matter shall be made when we meet in Hermione's room at 7 AM each day. Clear on that?"

"Got it." Hermione and Ron affirmed.

 _Ding-dong!_

"Those five minutes went by real quick." Hermione grumbled as she stood.

The three of them walked over to the front door, Hermione in the lead. She opened the door in one swift moment.

* * *

Draco followed behind Auror Wilson as they walked through the path that led to the front door. It was actually a very well kept place, Draco noted as he walked. The garden was beautifully maintained. Neatly trimmed grass covered the ground, he could see vividly coloured flowers poking out from here and there and his olfactory senses detected a lovely aroma from them. Draco thought the place seemed very... _Grangery_. It was definitely where he would picture someone like Granger living.

His thoughts had kept him occupied until they reached the house. The house itself was a decent establishment. Obviously, it wasn't anywhere near the gigantic Malfoy Manor in terms of size, but to Draco, this looked nice and cosy.

The Auror rang the doorbell. Draco mentally braced himself for everything that was to come.

The door opened quickly, to reveal Granger and her duo behind her. _Great. They must be here for moral support. Was he that much of a pain in the -_ Draco's train of thought broke as her eyes fell on him for maybe a milisecond, then they shifted to the man beside him. Draco could see recognition in her eyes.

"Auror Wilson!" she exclaimed. _Great_ , Draco said to himself. _They knew each other, whoopie! Such a lovely day. Why did every single thing he came across today irritate him?_

"Hermione, how are you doing?" he asked her as they shook hands.

"Yeah, yeah I suppose I'm fine." she said. It hurt Draco just a bit to see that she didn't even try to mask the sarcasm in her voice.

She stepped aside and showed them in.

"Harry, Ron." Auror Wilson said. The three of them exchanged what seemed to Draco a very professional style of handshake.

"Hello, Auror Wilson." Potter and Weasley replied.

 _Okay, they weren't acknowledging him. Well, he shouldn't expect anything different. How would one react to a former Death Eater, son of a notorious Death Eater and the heir to a family that was definitely the most prejudiced in the Wizarding World?_

"How goes the practice?" The Auror asked, taking a seat on Granger's couch. _Practice for what?_ Draco wondered, taking up an empty chair.

"Yes, we do seem to have improved quite a bit if I may say so myself!" Potter quipped.

"You could come over one day and duel with us!" Weasley said, the excitement clearly showing in his eyes. Draco clenched his fist in frustration. They appeared to have completely forgotten the purpose of this visit. Wait, was he invisible, by any chance? Draco glanced down at himself. Nah, they probably just forgot.

"That would be nice." the Auror replied. "You guys okay with Sunday morning?"

"Sure!"

"Good, I'll remember that. Now, for the matter at hand,"

 _Thank Merlin!_ _Thank you!_

"Mr. Malfoy will reside here for the period of one year." the Auror's voice now assumed an authoritative tone. "He is not allowed to use magic through another witch or wizard's wand. If he does, it will immediately be detected by the Ministry and he shall be punished in accordance to the intensity of his usage of magic. He is still allowed to use the Floo and side-apparate." At this, he turned to look at Draco. Draco simply gave a nod to indicate that he understood. Yeah, it was all in the official paperwork that he had signed at the Ministry.

"I trust his sleeping arrangements have been taken care of?" This question was directed at Hermione. Scrutinizing her expression, it was clear to Draco that she hadn't given it a thought.

"Yes." was all she said.

"Good. Any inconvenience with the arrangements and you may write to the Ministry." This was for Draco.

Draco nodded again. He recalled how he felt silly bringing his owl. He had only his mother to write to, but that now was banned too. But look! He had someone else to write to! _Man, that's pathetic. Meh, whatever. Find joy in the little things, they say._

"I need both of you to initial these papers and then we'll be done."

Within a few minutes, the official paperwork was through and before Draco knew it, the Auror was at the front door.

"Thank you Auror Wilson, see you Sunday!" Granger said.

"Thank you Auror Wilson." Draco said politely. He didn't know what it was, but there was something about the man that made Draco want to respect him.

He received a nod and a slight smile in reply.

After shaking hands with Potter and Weasley once again, the Auror finally left.

 _Begin awkward silence,_ Draco said to himself as the four of them just stood there.

"Malfoy, you can sit in the living room. I need to speak with my friends for a bit." For once, Draco was actually thankful to Granger for breaking the tension. He nodded once more and occupied his chair once again. He watched as the trio filed upstairs.

* * *

It would be an understatement to say that Hermione was gobsmacked when Auror Wilson asked her about Malfoy's sleeping arrangements. She hadn't even considered it. Clearly, neither had Harry or Ron. She thought it better to just say yes. She'd figure it out later.

Now upstairs in the hallway with Harry and Ron, she started to think.

"I say we just make him sleep on the couch." Ron said, smiling gleefully.

"Oh no, Ron. You know that's ridiculous." Hermione blew him off. "It isn't fair on our part, plus, we don't want him writing to the Ministry."

"Yes, cause he's been _so_ fair to us all these years." Ron put special emphasis on the 'so'.

"If we start holding grudges now, there will be no difference between us and Voldemort's kind." she said. "We'll be polite to him. No rude remarks, no ill-treating him unless he does something stupid, okay? We'll just stay neutral. Let him finish off his punishment in silence and then we'll be on our seperate ways."

Ron nodded, but Hermione knew he wasn't fully convinced. But she also knew that he would try because she had said so.

"As far as our knowledge goes, he's been misguided since he was a child. You remember that day at the Manor? It was clear to me that he recognized us."

"Yeah, I remember." Ron sighed. "He did recognize us. But he didn't say anything. I'm still recovering from that surprise."

"Yeah, yeah, I get all that." Harry cut in. "But where is he going to sleep?"

Hermione contemplated it for a second. "Look, we can't put him on the couch. We have to give him the guest bedroom."

"Then _I_ get the couch?!" Harry looked both shocked and hurt at this.

"Don't be silly, Harry." Hermione laughed. "I was thinking that we could set up an extra cot in my room."

"Oh, thank Merlin!" Harry heaved a sigh of relief.

"Alright, now go and clear out all your things and put them in my room. We'll set you up later."

Harry gave a thumbs up and walked lazily to the guest bedroom, dragging Ron with him for help.

Meanwhile, Hermione went back into the living room. She had to suppress a giggle at the sight before her.

Malfoy stood in front of the television, cautiously examining it. She clapped her hand over her mouth to control herself when he cautiously extended his index finger and poked the screen. He didn't seem to have noticed her yet. Oh, if she could just switch it on without his knowledge, he might just have a heart attack. _Oh wait, he found the buttons,_ she thought to herself as Malfoy located the controls at the bottom of the TV. He pressed the first one and the screen sprang to life. Unfortunately for him, the roar of a lion sounded as a wildlife channel came on. He jumped a few feet into the air and ran back a few steps.

"What in the name of Merlin's -" he stopped in awe as the screen went black again. He heard a feminine chuckle and turned immediately.

The remote control fell from her hand as she tried to keep in her laughter. The result turned out to be a weird snort. Draco could not have been more embarrassed. She quickly composed herself. "I- I'm sorry, Malfoy. I really am." She had just lectured Harry and Ron to be polite to him and now here she was, laughing at him. _I should be ashamed of myself!_ she berated herself.

He nodded at her. "It's fine, I suppose. And I'm sorry I touched your... whatever this monstrosity is, without permission. I was merely curious."

"That's okay." Hermione replied. "Give us a few minutes, then you can move your luggage into the guest bedroom."

"Okay."

An awkward silence took over. Draco decided to break it.

"What - what is this? If you don't mind me asking." he said.

His question surprised Hermione.

"That is a television. TV, for short." she told him.

"Oh." he said. "And the sound earlier... it came from this?"

"Yeah."

"That thing I pushed, what does that do?"

"It's for turning the TV on."

"Then how did it stop all of a sudden?"

"I turned it off with the remote control, Malfoy." Hermione picked up the forgotten instrument from the ground.

"Remote control?" she could see the interest in his eyes.

"Yeah, you use it operate the TV from a distance." she didn't know why she was entertaining him, she really didn't want to. She felt that she shouldn't be speaking to him but he had been quite polite so far. He even _apologized!_ That had to be a huge leap for Malfoy. She'd play along just this once.

"Cool." He said. "Could you, um, if you don't mind... uh, make it come back?" he asked hesitantly.

She simply turned the TV on again. She saw his eyes curiously run all over the screen. He walked closer to it.

"Will I get hurt if I touch it?" he questioned, eyes still on the screen.

"No."

He poked at it again, and she could detect the amazement in his eyes. It was at this moment that she fully realized how effective this punishment would be for Malfoy. The Ministry had indeed, done well. Hermione didn't care as much about revenge as she did for change. She decided that she wouldn't speak to him without necessity, out of her way, but she'd answer if he asked questions about anything Muggle. She wanted to see if he could actually turn over a new leaf. She did appreciate people who possessed a certain of inquisitiveness.

"Uh, we've finished cleaning up." came Ron's voice from the doorway. Both he and Harry had weird looks on their faces.

"Oh um, fine." she could make out by his voice just how foolish he felt.

They watched as Malfoy lugged his trunk up the stairs, trying insanely hard not to stop for a breather.

Hermione sighed. "I will never understand what problem wizards have with rucksacks." she said.

"I know, right!" Harry threw his hands up in the air.

"Yeah, those things are cool." Ron agreed. "I mean, your stuff is heavy enough, your trunk probably weighs even more! I'm glad you got me one of those, Mione."

Hermione's remark had given Draco an excuse to stop and take a little break.

"Ruck- what?"

"Rucksacks, Malfoy." Hermione said.

"Do you have one?" he asked.

"Yes." she said simply.

There was a pause.

"I could show you later, if you'd like." she offered.

"Thanks." he nodded and continued his tedious task. He'd probably never dragged anything this heavy his entire life. He never had to. _Boy, was magic awesome!_

"Second door on the left." Harry said a little louder as he disappeared up the stairs. A few seconds later they heard a door shut.

"Why'd you say that?" Ron turned to Hermione.

"What? You mean about the rucksack?" she asked him.

"Yes."

"Ron, you should have seen the way he was poking at the TV." she said, almost laughing again at the memory. "Then he asked me what it was, and things like that. I mean, that's what his punishment is for isn't it? For him to understand Muggle instruments and everything? He needs to see that Muggles aren't any lesser than wizards. Look at everything they've made without an ounce of magic! He's going to have to understand that fact and accept it." she said determinedly.

"Whatever, Mione." Ron said. "If that actually happens, this entire thing might just be one big dream."

* * *

Draco shut the door behind him. _Drat. What the hell was wrong with him? Asking Granger all those questions. Like a silly little kindergartener._

But he had to admit, that big contraption, what was it called again? A tele- what was that? He remembered the short version of it, TV. That thing was awesome. Moving images with sound at the same time? And it didn't have an ounce of magic in it! He wondered what else these Muggles had made for themselves.

And that remote control, how could it switch on the TV from a distance. No magic again! He had to say, he was fascinated. He could just spend this year going through any other contraptions this house might have.

In that second, it hit him. Their Ministry was _so_ cunning. What a way to punish hum.

He sighed and fell back onto the bed. He didn't feel like unpacking now. He'd take care of it later.

 _Now... what do I do?_

* * *

 **What did you think? You may feel a few characters to be a tad OOC in this chapter. If you did feel that way and didn't like it, I'm really sorry!**

 **Now for my lovely reviewers from the last chapter,**

 **SLYNNR - I am soo soo happy you love it, thank you so very much! Please read and review this chapter as well!**

 **pgoodrichboggs - Aww you reviewed again! Thank you so much, that is extremely sweet of you! I'm glad you like it :D Please do leave a review again!**

 **Stay tuned people, I'll be back as soon as I can!**

 **Until next time,**

 **Sasha!**


	7. 7) Oh, these Muggles!

**I'M BACK! I know I'm extremely late, so do forgive me for that! Thank you, you guys, for staying with me up until this point, means a lot to me! :) Do read this chappie, and give me your reviews at the end! Thanks in advance!**

 **Disclaimer : Harry Potter? Not mine!**

* * *

 _ **7) Oh, these Muggles!**_

* * *

Draco slowly opened his eyes and stretched himself. _Where the heck - Oh, right. The guest bedroom in the very home of Miss Hermione Granger._ He sat up, yawning as he did so. He must have fallen asleep. He glanced around the room, his thoughts still foggy. His stomach rumbled as he climbed out of the bed. _Ah, it must be around lunch time._ He stepped into the bathroom to freshen up. _Not quite as big as the one at home, but a very good bathroom nonetheless._

* * *

Draco silently opened his door, trying not to make any noise. He walked down the hallway tot he kitchen. He needed to satiate his growling tummy. As he passed a closed door, he heard voices coming from inside. _Must be Granger's room._

 _"But it wasn't a permanent, irreversible charm, was it? Why do you say it's so close to being irrversible?"_ Weasley's irritating voice said in a low tone.

 _"It's not quite about the reversibility of the charm, Ron."_ Granger's sharp, clear voice whispered. _"It's more about the magnitude of it. Such a huge part of their lives Ron, it isn't easy to restore."_

 _What permanent charm? Huge part of whose lives?_ Draco was confused. What was this secret business that they were working on? All of a sudden, it struck Draco that he was eavesdropping. He didn't even mean to, he just happened to hear their exchange as he passed. He quickly walked away as Potter began to contribute to the conversation. But that didn't mean he wasn't curious. Oh, he was _very intrigued._ The War was finally over, what could it be that was bothering them? He wouldn't go out of his way to investigate or anything, but he would keep his eyes and ears open. _Yes, a good decision._

He finally reached his destination. Problem was, he didn't know what to do. He didn't know how Granger organised her kitchen. Additionally, for some reason, it just felt wrong to go through her stuff without asking her first. But what else he supposed to do? _For Merlin's sake! Something has to be done!_ His tummy dropped in a reminder as well. He had to go get Granger. But that would make them think he had been eavesdropping on their conversation. _WHAT DO I DO?!_ An idea struck Draco. His eyes had locked onto a spoon lying on the counter. He looked around once, then picked up the spoon, raised it as high up in the air and let it drop back on the counter, making a _clang!_ as it made contact. The sound echoed through the otherwise quiet house. Draco was positive they had heard it. He casually leaned back against the counter, waiting.

* * *

"It's more about the magnitude of it. Such a huge part of their lives Ron, it isn't easy to restore." Hermione explained.

"Understandable." Harry said. "But Hermione, reversibility is one of the bases of classification of memory charms, isn't it? That must mean something! And also, aren't there a few cases of irreversible charms being reversed?"

Hermione sighed. "True, Harry. The charm being reversible is the only hope we have right now. The problem is, the magnitude matters just as much!"

"There's one thing I can say now." Ron said. "We need to get to the library at Hogwarts."

"Yeah, I - " Hermione started, only to be cut off by a the sound something falling.

"Malfoy!" Harry whispered.

"Do you think he heard something?" Ron said as quietly as he could.

"Let's hope not." Hermione replied. "We'll have to see what he's up to."

She stood up and walked out into the hallway, Harry and Ron behind her.

Draco turned and pretended to search the cabinets as he heard her door open. He heard their footsteps getting louder and louder, until they finally stopped. He turned around to see Granger staring at him, arms crossed against her chest.

"I was hungry." He said simply, hoping she would do something.

She gave out a sigh. "Well, there's nothing much in here. We'll have to order something." She turned to her friends. "We haven't eaten either. Pizza, okay?"

Potter nodded in agreement, and Weasley gave out a, "Yes!". Draco could tell he was excited at the prospect of having... whatever she said. He'd have to know what exactly it was, he'd never heard of it before!

"Uhh, Granger?" he said as she lifted up something to her ear. It seemed to have quite a few buttons on it, Must be another Muggle thing he didn't understand. She paused to look at him.

"What is this you're getting?" he asked, trying not to sound as confused as he actually was.

"What? Pizza?" she asked.

 _Ah! 'Pizza'! That's what it was called!_

He nodded at her, doing his level best not to look stupid.

"I mean, what is _in_ that stuff? I've never heard of it before..." he trailed off, accepting defeat to some extent. At that moment, he could swear he saw Granger smile so very slightly.

"It has cheese, sauce and many toppings, Malfoy. I'm sure you'll like it." She smiled to herself internally. Of course, wizards didn't have the very concept of pizza! Ron himself had been highly suspicious until they had forced him to try it. It was now one of his favourites.

He simply nodded again. He could only pray that this... this.. 'Pizza' tasted good.

He watched as she pressed some of the buttons on whatever _that_ thing was, and held it up to her ear. He watched, amazed, wondering who she was talking to. How? Was she just pretending to order food to mock him? How in the name of Merlin could she be conversing with someone? _WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?!_

"Thanks, bye!" she said and puched another button on her... _thing._

"Done." she said. " It'll be here in 20 minutes, tops. If you're very hungry, there's some fruit in the refrigerator, Malfoy."

"There's some fruit in the _what?_ " Draco had had enough.

What was that _thing_? And what was this, now? _Where the HELL was the fruit?!_ He just _had_ to know now. His curiosity had exploded like a bunch of fireworks.

"The refrigerator." Potter informed him, pointing to one side.

Draco followed the direction of his finger. This 'refrigerator', was a tall, wide monstrosity. Much bigger than the monstrosity he had seen earlier this morning. What had Granger called it, again? _Ahh, yes, TV!_

He very much wanted to know what exactly the function of this... this refrigerator was. But he'd gain that knowledge some other time. He had looked like an idiot enough for today.

He nodded once more and watched as the three of them left the kitchen.

Seriously, _what was with these Muggles?!_ What were all these things? What were they made of? How did these Muggles make them?! With no spells or charms? It stunned him. Merlin, Granger's place was full of stuff he didn't understand. He'd have to find out.

He slowly turned his gaze to the thing.

 _Time to check out the refri.. refresh? Forget it. Time to check out the home of the fruit._

* * *

 **This chapter was a little short, wasn't it? Sorry about that! Thanks to all you reviewers!**

 **SLYNNR - I KNOW, RIGHT!**

 **pgoodrichboggs - Yeah, it just seemed to me that Hermione would do that. :D**

 **Please do review!**

 **PS, I haven't really edited this chapter, so please do forgive me for any errors!**

 **So long,**

 **Sasha!**


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